The invention relates to the art of electric arc welding and more particularly to a system for loading an electric arc welder with a welding procedure specification and then enabling the welder when conditions are proper to execute the selected welding procedure specification WPS.
In the welding industry, the welding of critical applications involves experimental optimization of many parameters and weld controlling factors into an acceptable weld procedure. This procedure is generally referred to as the welding procedure specification (WPS) which is well known in the art of electric arc welding and is generally described in a 1997 article by D. K. Miller entitled What Every Engineer Should Know about Welding Procedures. A reprint of this article is incorporated by reference herein to describe the general content and application of a WPS so this material need not be repeated. Bloch U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,253 suggests the concept of loading the welding procedure specification into the controller of an electric arc welder and then modifying the various parameters. The data causes a central control microprocessor to implement the parameters during a welding operation. This fixed programmed use of welding procedures is known. The Bloch patent is incorporated by reference to illustrate background information. In the present invention, data is introduced into the control logic network by memory chips of the type available from Dallas Semiconductor Corporation of Dallas, Tex., under the trademark xe2x80x9cTouch Memory.xe2x80x9d These electronic memory buttons store digital data in an internal READ/WRITE chip which data is transmitted upon command from the button to an interface communicated with said control logic network. In the present invention, the interface is communicated with the button by way of a receiving receptacle. Any of many known button receiving receptacles can be used. One receptacle is disclosed in Scholder U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,071, which patent is incorporated by reference to show one of many memory chip receptacles.
Assignor has a pending U.S. application Ser. No. 336,574 filed on Jun. 21, 1999 and disclosing the concept of memory chips for receiving data and transmitting data to the controller of an electric arc welder by touching of the support structure for the chip. This prior application is incorporated by reference herein as further background information regarding the technique of employing touch interrogated memory chips for receiving and transmitting data from and to the digital processing controller of an electric arc welder.
In electric arc welding as described in Bloch U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,253, repeatable quality in electric arc welding for specific applications requires that the procedure used in the welding process be the same or within certain constraints. In addition, the weldor or operator assigned to execute the procedure must be qualified to perform the specific welding operation by a prior testing and prior actual experience. Furthermore, even a weldor qualified for a specific procedure can lose the specific skill required after long periods without actually performing the welding operation. Consequently, qualification of the operator should be assured so the welding operation can meet the standard necessary for acceptance of the welding result. In addition, it is necessary that the parameters involved in the welding procedure specification be met during the welding operation. In the past, the welding procedure was manually loaded into the digital process controller of the electric arc welder by various interfaces connected to the controller. In addition, items of the WPS, such as wire feed speed, wire specification, shielding gas, preheat, impass heat, post heat, etc., were set according to written or stored criteria constituting the welding procedure specification. Implementing this technique, together with assuring qualification of the operator presented difficulties. The welding by the weldor was performed irrespective of compliance with the various parameters constituting the welding procedure specification and irrespective of the actual qualification of the weldor performing the welding operation. Consequently, detailed record keeping and checking of the various parameters preparatory to the welding operation were necessary, but quite complex. When it was determined that the welding procedure was not followed or the operator was not adequately qualified, the resulting welding operation was rejected or required subsequent remedial processing. Consequently, a procedure to assure proper welding to a detailed specification was complicated and expensive. It required a substantial amount of record keeping and historical maintenance of data associated with the many welds performed in the field.
Goldblatt U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,512 and Bobeczko U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,810 disclose bar codes on a wire reel to be read when the reel is loaded onto a welder. A process sheet is also read by a bar code to correlate with the wire. These patents are incorporated by reference as background technology.
In electric arc welding, specific applications often involve a welding procedure specification WPS that must be followed for acceptance of the weld. In practice, the WPS for a specific application provides the necessary information to set the electric arc welder and load the electric arc welder with external constituents for the purposes of performing the specified welding process. In accordance with the present invention, the WPS for a given welding operation is converted to digital data and stored either in a IC chip of a memory button or in a remote location such as a computer connected to the welder by an ethernet network. Such network is local or by the internet. WPS is directed to the controller of the electric arc welder. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the digital data comprising the WPS of a specific welding operation is loaded into the IC chip of a memory button. As an alternative, the memory button includes a code which will allow the digital data defining the WPS to be directed to the digital process controller of the welder. This can be from a memory or from an ethernet network. Thus, the present invention involves a memory button containing a specific digital data defining WPS or a code identifying a specific WPS. As an alternative, the digital data defining the WPS is loaded directly into the controller from an external source, such as an ethernet network.
In the preferred implementation, a memory button is connected to receptacle in a touch connector coupled to the controller of the welder. Consequently, by merely placing the memory button into a receptacle on the touch connector associated with a specific welder, the welding procedure to be performed by the welder is directed by process logic to the controller of the welder. The controller upon receiving the selected procedure is disabled unless the various items of the WPS are available on the welder or used by the welder. To assure the proper wire, gas, and operator, the touch connector includes additional receptacles for memory buttons, each of which contain an IC chip loaded with the necessary data associated with a particular aspect of the welding process. In practice, the WPS memory button is attached to one receptacle of the touch connector. Another receptacle receives a memory button with a chip containing the qualifications of the particular operator destined to perform the welding procedure. If the welding procedure loaded into the controller contains qualifications for the person performing the operation, then the button containing the weldor qualifications allows activation of the welder if the person has at least the qualifications necessary for performing the specified WPS. In a like manner, another receptacle on the touch connector receives a touch memory button having a chip loaded with the information on the welding wire or electrode, such as material, specification, diameter, etc. Data contained on the chip of this memory button is compared to the data indicative of the welding wire or electrode from the memory chip for the WPS to not disable the welder. In this way, the welding operation is performed with the proper welding wire or electrode. Another memory button includes a chip loaded with the identification of the shielding gas. When this chip is received in a receptacle on the touch connector, the shielding gas connected to the welder is determined. If the shielding gas is not proper, the welder is disabled. In accordance with implementation of the invention, the touch connector can have additional receptacles for additional memory buttons having chips with data corresponding to a feature or item in the welding procedure specification.
By using the present invention, a work order carries a button including the data indicative of the parameters of the welding procedure specification of a specific welding operation. The wire or electrode bundle for the welder carries another memory button which is removed from the wire or electrode and placed in a receptacle on the touch connector. In a like manner, the welding gas carries a button which is detached and inserted into another receptacle on the touch connector. Likewise, the operator possesses an identification memory button to be mounted in a designated receptacle on the touch connector. If all of these buttons in the touch connector conform, then the welder is not disabled. However, the welder itself must be capable of performing the selected welding operation. Consequently, the controller itself will output information of the type of welder to assure that the WPS can be performed. When all of these items match, the welding process can be performed. By merely inserting a plurality of buttons indicative of welding items, the welder is commissioned for performing a specific welding operation, which preferably is also inputted by a memory button.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a system for enabling an electric arc welder adapted to perform various welding processes using weld parameters and a welding wire. The system comprises a first receptacle for a first memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of a specific welding procedure specification. The specification comprises a set of at least weld parameters, a specific weld process, electrical characteristics, and selected welding wire or electrode features. The procedure dictates the operating characteristics of the welder during the welding process. A second receptacle for a second memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of recorded feature of the wire or electrode to be used by the welder. The system includes a disabled circuit or logic to disable the welder to process the specific welding procedure when the data indicative of the features of the welding wire fail to correspond with the data indicative of the selected welding wire or electrode features. Thus, if the desired wire or electrode identified by the second button is not the proper wire or electrode for the welding procedure, the welder will not be enabled.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the electrical characteristics or other aspects of the welding procedure specification relating to the capabilities of the welder will be compared by the process logic in or before the controller of the welder to determine if the welder is capable of performing the selected welding procedure. Consequently, both a series of individually placed buttons and the capabilities of the welder are compared with the loaded welding procedure specification to allow the execution of the welding process.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first chip associated with the first memory button includes digital data defining a selected qualification of the operating weldor or operator so a third receptacle can receive a third memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of the actual welding qualification of a weldor. A disabled circuit disables the welder to process the welding procedure specification when the actual welding qualification fails to match or exceed the selected qualification. In accordance with this concept, the third memory button can be a READ/WRITE memory wherein the qualification information is updated according to the specification being processed. The term xe2x80x9cweldorxe2x80x9d indicates the person conducting the welding process and the term xe2x80x9cwelderxe2x80x9d is the actual apparatus performing the process.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for enabling an electric arc welder adapted to perform various welding processes using weld parameters and a welding wire. The system comprises a first receptacle for a first memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of a specific welding procedure specification and constituting a set of at least weld parameters, a specific weld process, electrical characteristics, and selected welding wire features. A second receptacle for a second memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of an item in the set; and, a disable circuit to disable the welder when the data indicative of the item fails to correspond with the data indicative of the item.
In yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for enabling an electric arc welder adapted to perform various welding processes using weld parameters and a welding wire. The system comprises a first receptacle for a first memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of a specific welding procedure specification and a selected qualification of the operating weldor. A second receptacle for a second memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of the actual qualifications of a specific weldor or operator and a disable circuit to disable the welder to process the specific welding procedure when data indicative of the actual qualifications fail to match or exceed the selected qualifications.
Still a further aspect of the invention is the provision of a system for enabling an electric arc welder adapted to perform various welding processes using weld parameter and a welding wire or electrode. This system comprises a first receptacle for a first memory button having a chip loaded with digital data indicative of a specific welding procedure specification constituting a set of at least weld parameters, a specific weld process, electrical characteristics and selected welding wire features. This aspect of the invention includes a circuit to load the welding procedure specification into the controller of the welder to set characteristics of the welder. The controller is the digital processing device used by welders and can be input logic or another input network.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for controlling an electric arc welder at a weld station, such as a robot. The system comprises a controller for the power supply and for external drives at the weld station. These drives include wire feeders and robot drives controlling travel speed during the weld, to name a couple. The controller has a digital processing device with a section for receiving digital data and for controlling the welder in compliance with the digital data. In this aspect of the invention, the data includes a selected value for an external weld condition, such as arc current or arc voltage of the power supply and wire feed speed and travel speed for the drive units. A data entry station is used by the operator to select a set level for one of the external conditions. A logic network compares the selected level and the selected value to create an action signal based upon this comparison. The digital data is a selected welding procedure specification. In one aspect, the action signal causes the controller to either decrease or increase the set level. As an alternative, if the set level is not within prescribed limits, the welder is disabled. Thus, an operator selecting the wrong level for an external condition can cause the welder to be disabled. As a further aspect, the action signal causes the external condition to be recorded during the welding operation. This response to an action signal can be used with other responses. The action signal can also merely transmit the selected set level to the power supply and to the external drive devices, if the set level does not deviate beyond a certain amount from the data relating to the external condition as contained in the welding procedure specification. In this manner, the external conditions such as wire feed speed, travel speed, arc current and arc voltage are processed in accordance with the welding procedure specification, either to set the command signals for the external condition or to disable the welder from performing the welding process.
A further aspect of the present invention is the provision of a system for controlling an electric arc welder performing a welding operation at a weld station, such as a robot. The system comprises a controller for the power supply of the welder. The controller has a digital processing device with a memory for receiving digital data and a for controlling the welder in compliance with the digital data. A reading device loads control data containing a specific welding procedure specification into the memory. The control data includes a selected level for an external condition. The controller generates a command signal for the external condition. A sensor reads the actual external condition on a real time basis while a comparison circuit disables the welder when the external condition deviates from the selected set level. In this manner, an external condition is compared to the selected set condition as contained in a welding procedure specification and the welder is disabled when the actual external condition deviates from the level in the welding procedure specification.
Still a further aspect of the present invention is the provision of a method for controlling an electric arc welder having a power supply, external drives and a controller for the power supply and drives. The method comprises loading digital data containing a specific welding procedure specification and including a selected value for an external condition. Thereafter, a desired level for an external condition is inputted into the controller and is compared to the value to create a command signal used by the power supply or external drives. A modification of this method involves the real time value of the external condition and disabling the welder when the real time value deviates from the command signal by a selected amount.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention the digital data is stored on the chip of the individual memory buttons; however, in accordance with an aspect of the invention the memory buttons are merely loaded with a code. This code inputs digital information from either an ethernet network or a memory in the controller for providing the digital data to be compared preparatory to enabling the welder to perform the welding process.
The primary object of the present invention is the provision of A system for operating an electric arc welder, which system employs a series of manually insertion memory buttons to input the welding process to be performed, together with various external welding considerations such as wire, gas, prior heat, and weldor qualifications. By inputting this information, the weldor is disqualified from performing the welding process unless the digital data matches to allow operation of the welder.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a system, as defined above, which system employs a series of manually insertable memory chips to enable a welder to perform a welding process defined by a specific welding procedure specification. The specification can be inserted or loaded by any technique, including, but not limited to, a memory button.
Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a system, as defined above, which system prevents the welder from operating unless the person operating the welder has certain qualifications. In accordance with another object, the qualifications are updated after each welding process to produce a personal history of the operator performing the welding process.
Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a system, as defined above, which system has an individual button containing data or capable of inputting data indicative of the welding wire characteristics so the welder will perform the welding procedure only if a proper wire or electrode is being used. In a like manner, a memory chip can be employed which contains data indicative of other external items, such as shielding gas or temperature so the welder will not operate unless the desired external item is employed with the welder. In sensing temperature, a touch probe is normally used. The workpiece coming to the weld station, such as a robot, may require preheating. In that case, a touch probe reads the preheat temperature. In a like manner, the temperature of a bead laid in a multipass weld is sensed to determine interpass temperature.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings.